Letters Home
by tayababy
Summary: Pathfinder has been helpful in many ways...
1. Chapter 1

Letters Home

Voyager has been in the Delta Quadrant for just over ten years now. They have been in contact with Starfleet via Pathfinder for four years, thanks to Reg Barclay. These are the letters members of the senior staff wrote to their families.

Usual disclaimers apply; I just can't be bothered writing one at the moment.

* * *

Dear Mom,

Wow. I've been captain of Voyager for over ten years. It's amazing, but scary at the same time. It is times like these that I'm glad I didn't condemn Chakotay to the brig at the beginning of our journey. I wouldn't be able to last a day without him any more, especially with our growing crew.

The day I realised I love him was one I'll never forget; it's an event I hope I'll have the chance to tell my children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren, should I have the opportunity. I remember like it was yesterday, but of course, it wasn't.

We had been in the Delta Quadrant for seven years, and the Borg had annoyed me one last time. And, to add to my stress, we were visited by Admiral Janeway, my future self from an alternate timeline. I'll just say that she and I made a plan, and her timeline was destroyed, but so were the Borg. The whole ship watched through viewports, on viewscreens or just on their monitors, as a Borg transwarp hub was destroyed, taking the Queen with it.

As I stood, in the middle of my bridge, it dawned on me. Admiral Janeway had said she had only one regret. She told me to treasure my time on Voyager, and to let Kathryn out more; that the Captain's mask should only be in place during diplomatic missions, not when interacting with my own family.

Suffice to say, I took her advice. I let Kathryn out for the first time in a fair few years. One year later, I was married. Our wedding was beautiful, in the holodeck, but perfectly planned and executed. Chakotay and I have never been happier, and the crew feel like they have parents on board; parents that only fight when it really matters.

Have I told you yet? You have two beautiful granddaughters. Taya Elizabeth and Kimberley Hope Janeway are now 18 months old. I know you probably can't believe it; I could hardly believe it when the Doctor told me I was pregnant, with twins, at my age!

But Taya and Kimmy have settled in well on Voyager, they are growing nicely, walking, very close to talking, and toilet training… well, I suppose that comes with age. At least they have lots of friends, having grown up mainly with the Paris children, Miral, Imogen and Ryan, and Harry Kim's little boy James, along with every other child on the ship.

I can't believe how much my crew have adapted and adjusted to their new lives over the last ten years. I mean, now it's _when_ we get home, not _if_, like it was when we started.

But the crew have grown, not just together as friends, but as a family. Many of the crew have paired off, that much is evident. Tom Paris, Owen's youngest, is married to a half-Klingon… and has never been happier. He is even determined to name his next son after the admiral, and somehow incorporate B'Elanna's family name, Torres, into another child's. I really can see them, many years from now, surrounded by all of their numerous grown children, and even their grandchildren, if not great grandchildren! Tom and B'Elanna will have as many children as possible, then spoil every child their own children have.

Harry Kim, my 'ensign eager' straight out of the academy, is now married. Alright, he is 'lieutenant loyal', after a very well-deserved promotion two years ago. I was jumping for days when Admiral Paris authorised my list of promotions, which included almost all of my senior staff, and many other members of my crew, too. Harry was the fourth on the list.

When he told Chakotay and I of his intentions to propose to Annika, who had retaken her human name not long after Miral was born and the Borg were destroyed, I cried with joy. In my eyes, the children I never had were growing up. I have helped Annika to regain her humanity; wounded Tom's ego so many times in Sandrine's he still hasn't learnt not to challenge me in pool; and watched Harry grow as he learnt the ins and outs of starship operations (he will make a fine captain one day).

I was there for B'Elanna as her captain, her friend, her sister when she needed me, especially during long away missions when our husbands were on the other end; counselled Tuvok and hid his outbreaks of 'Tarkalian Flu' cough Ponn Far cough from the rest of the crew, especially Tom Paris; I was named godmother of Naomi Wildman, the first child born on Voyager, and who is now engaged herself to Icheb, my only other remaining ex-Borg I have rescued.

I feel like a mother, a sister, a friend, a grandmother even, not only a captain.

If another veteran captain, Jean-Luc Picard for instance, had told me my crew become my family on my first command, I wouldn't have believed him. But now, even after communicating with him and Captain Riker, his former first officer, I believe every crew of a Federation starship serving together for a long period of time develops into a family. Picard's Enterprise did, on both ships, and I think Riker is well on his way to making a family on Titan too. In every way, I don't think we could have survived if we didn't love each other this much.

Even though I am surrounded by my extended family all day, every day, I miss my own family. Mom, I miss you more than anyone else. I wish you were here to help me with the twins, hell, I just wish you can meet your granddaughters while they're young and cute! And I miss Phoebe, having someone to argue with that can't mutiny against me, not that B'Elanna ever would, but something like that was planned in our second year. Or so we thought.

But most of all, I miss Earth. I miss walking around in fresh, not recycled, air; the feel of real grass between my toes, sunshine on my skin and changing weather. I miss Starfleet Command, having to argue for my crew, my family, to negotiate for every possible thing my crew can come up with. I miss our home in Indiana, having pets run around. I miss being free.

The one thing I will make sure that happens when we reach home is that Chakotay, the kids and I will move into a house on Earth. No more commanding starships for me, no more fighting in wars for Chakotay, though he can have a command if he wants one. I'd stand for a boring desk job at command, as much as I'd hate it, just as long as I never miss a minute of them growing up.

I think my days of command are ending, but Voyager's captain's chair will always be mine as long as I am alive and well enough to command her.

That much is for sure.

Mom, I love you with all my heart, and I'll see you when we get home.

Love always,

Kathryn.

* * *

Gretchen Janeway wiped the tears from her eyes as she finished reading the letter her daughter had finally sent her. She was a grandmother! So what if Phoebe had already given her children, these were Kathryn's kids she could spoil to death the moment she met them.

Gretchen only hoped that moment would come sooner rather than later.


	2. Chapter 2

Letters Home

Voyager has been in the Delta Quadrant for just over ten years now. They have been in contact with Starfleet via Pathfinder for four years, thanks to Reg Barclay. These are the letters members of the senior staff wrote to their families.

Usual disclaimers apply; I just can't be bothered writing one at the moment.

* * *

_Acoochymoya… (continue the 'away from the something, something of our fathers' thing)_

Dearest Sekaya,

I greet you in the traditional way our father taught me – in respect for the spirits that protect us wherever we go.

I'm amazed, I must say. When Kathryn told me she had written to her mother, I knew I had to write you, my only remaining family. Save Kath, of course.

So, on my nice and boring bridge shift, which I am spending alone by the way, I am hereby writing my letter to you. I'll have you know that Ensign Carson at the conn keeps giving me weird looks, which you probably would appreciate, and I'm probably moments away from being bombarded by one of my twin daughters.

You're probably thinking something along the lines of 'what the hell?' right about know. I know you know that I would never settle down, marry and have a family. Well, sorry sis, but that was the old Chakotay, the one you did know.

I'm the new Chakotay, and you can thank Kathryn Janeway for that. Kathryn Janeway, my captain, my wife, my lover, my friend. Kathryn Janeway, mother of my children. That is who changed me.

It all started about ten years and four months ago, give or take, when an entity named the 'Caretaker' brought us halfway across the galaxy in the matter of minutes. We were taken from the Badlands to the Delta Quadrant. At that time, I didn't know Kathryn Janeway, Captain of the Federation Starship _USS Voyager_. Suffice to say, we met on the Caretaker's array, and I sacrificed my ship to save hers. Luckily, she offered all of my Maquis crewmembers field commissions on Voyager, partly due to the fact that we were stranded 70 000 lightyears away from anything familiar.

So, I pretty much owe her my life; and those of about fifteen others as well.

We worked together for many years, her as Captain, with me as her first officer, and my chief engineer from the Liberty, B'Elanna Torres, was given the position of Chief Engineer aboard _Voyager_, and the rank of Lieutenant.

I couldn't believe the trust Kathryn put in me, but now, I'm so glad she did.

Over the seven years we worked together, until we destroyed the Borg, we were strictly professional, for the most part. But when her 'future self from an alternate timeline' appeared and persuaded Kath to destroy said Borg, I think that was when it happened. One moment we're all just watching the transwarp hub implode on itself, and the next, a day after actually, she turned into the Kathryn I knew on New Earth.

Before I knew it, we were dating, spending more and more time together, and a year later, I proposed.

Our wedding was great. Planned by Paris, Kim and Torres, as usual, and lacking the standard pranks we had learnt to expect from Tom. Since our wedding, I know we have never been happier. I realised how much of a mother Kath is and was to the crew then, and that helped me settle into the role of father to the crew. Kathryn and B'Elanna are best friends, have been for years, and it was B'E that suggested to me that Kath was pregnant.

Just over two years ago, the doctor called me off my duty shift early down to sickbay. In my experiences, if Kath had dragged herself to sickbay, she really was sick.

In this case, she wasn't sick, she said. Just pregnant. I laughed, told her it was a great joke, and then she showed me the tricorder in her hand. I took one look at the scanner and my jaw dropped.

She was not only pregnant. Oh no, she's two months pregnant with twins.

I was shocked. Okay, so shocked isn't the word for it. I was ecstatic.

She gave birth at eight months, which is just about full term for twins. And especially with her age, eight months was great.

Taya Elizabeth and Kimberley Hope Janeway are now 18 months old and have settled in well on Voyager. They are growing nicely, walking, very close to talking and have lots of friends for their age, especially the Paris kids, who have been raised by just about everyone. Taya, Kimmy, as well as Miral, Imogen and Ryan Paris, and little James Kim, are the six that are inseparable.

I know I sound like a boasting father, but I really do love my family; my whole, extended family. Every child belongs to every parent. The senior staff are like a family of our own.

I would never, ever swap these last ten years for anything. During my time on Voyager, I have met my soul mate. We may have fought so many times it's not funny, had our fair share in partners that weren't each other, but we will be together forever. It's just one of those things we'll never lose.

Don't get me wrong, I still love you, miss you, think about you every day, but I have my family with me. As much as I'd love to see you again, introduce you to Kathryn, make sure my kids know their Aunty Sekkie, it wouldn't kill me if we never reached Earth. I have everything I need here, on Voyager. My home.

Surprisingly enough, Voyager is more of a home than our tribe ever was. I know I was branded a contrary from birth, but that's something I can deal with, and have probably lived up to. Something I'm proud of.

Just think, if I had never left the colony, never joined Starfleet, never deflected with the Maquis, I would never have met the love of my life. I can never regret that.

Sekkie, you will be one of the first to know when we reach the Alpha Quadrant, probably one of the first to meet Taya and Kimmy, you know that. Right?

I miss you so much, I always will, you're my only sister.

I can't wait for you to meet Kath and the girls. My girls. God, it feels good saying that.

Keep a line open for me,

Chakotay

(The only contrary you'll ever love)

* * *

Sekaya looked up from the letter she finished reading.

"Mommy! Mommy!'

She sighed. "What's wrong, Heather?"

The 18 month old ran over to her. "Mommy, Ben and So'mon hurtsted me!"

Sekkie sighed again. "Heather, his name is Solomon, and I don't think he did it on purpose, baby."

Before her only daughter could answer, another figure walked into the room.

"Daddy!"

John Worthington, Sekaya's husband, was greeted by his screaming sons before he even greeted his wife.

"Hey, boys," he said, ruffling their hair.

Sekaya looked up at him, tears glistening in her already-blue eyes.

"What are you reading?" he asked, seeing the padd in her lap.

"Only a letter from Chakotay. It came today, and I just realised how much I miss him."

"Chakotay! Chakotay!" Heather screamed, her cheeky grin lighting up her adorable face.

Sekaya laughed at the outburst. "Sure, you get his name right…"

Heather couldn't help but grin again. She looked just like her uncle, the one she was yet to meet.


	3. Chapter 3

Letters Home

Voyager has been in the Delta Quadrant for just over ten years now. They have been in contact with Starfleet via Pathfinder for four years, thanks to Reg Barclay. These are the letters members of the senior staff wrote to their families.

Usual disclaimers apply; I just can't be bothered writing one at the moment.

Oh, and I find Tuvok very hard to write, so this one is short. Sorry.

* * *

T'Pel,

Though it pains me greatly that I am not sharing my life with you, it is good to finally communicate with you after so many years.

You should be pleased to know that I have survived the last ten years serving as Captain Janeway's second officer with very little injuries sustained.

I do not understand the logic of sending letters home, but after being able to communicate with you, my wife, it is starting to… 'grow' on me.

In the last ten years, I have missed so much of my family growing up. You must tell me how the children are handling adulthood and parenthood, if any of them have children.

According to Captain Janeway, we should reach Earth in approximately fifteen years, without using any shortcuts. But our sensors have detected a wormhole only four lightyears away, which gives the crew some hope.

I intend to be home before my next Ponn Far occurs so we can spend some quality time together.

Live long and prosper, my wife

Tuvok

* * *

T'Pel read the letter her husband had sent her, her eyes devoid of emotion but her heart screaming with grief.

"Mother? What is wrong?" Her son, Sek, asked.

"Nothing," she replied. "Just a letter from your father. He should be home in approximately fifteen years."

Sek sighed. "I wish it were sooner, as I am anxious for him to meet his granddaughter and daughter-in-law."

"Yes," T'Pel whispered. "So am I."


	4. Chapter 4

Letters Home

Voyager has been in the Delta Quadrant for just over ten years now. They have been in contact with Starfleet via Pathfinder for four years, thanks to Reg Barclay. These are the letters members of the senior staff wrote to their families.

Usual disclaimers apply; I just can't be bothered writing one at the moment.

* * *

To: Admiral Owen Paris, Starfleet Command

From: Lieutenant Commander Thomas Eugene Paris, _USS Voyager_

Hi Dad

I know it wasn't really necessary to include the formality in the beginning, but I wanted to show you how much I have achieved here.

When I was in the penal colony in New Zealand ten years ago, I know you weren't very proud of my actions, but Kathryn Janeway was the only person in Starfleet who gave me a second chance.

You probably know I was only originally an 'observer' on _Voyager_ when we left Deep Space Nine for the Badlands, but once the Caretaker had brought us to the Delta Quadrant and our helmsman was killed in the process, I was the most qualified pilot on the ship, and I still am.

The only person with a worse record in shuttlecraft destruction is Commander Chakotay. I have only blown the Delta Flyer up once; he's destroyed about three or four different shuttles. In my defence, the Flyer was blown up by the Borg, so I think that's pretty acceptable. And, I helped B'Elanna rebuild it.

She's another person I need to talk about, B'Elanna. So what if she was a Maquis? That's part of the reason I ended up in prison. No, B'Elanna Torres, Chief Engineer, my friend, my lover, my wife, mother of our children.

B'Elanna and I were married at the end of our sixth year in the Delta Quadrant, and she gave birth to Miral, our eldest, nine months later. Our daughter, stubborn like her mother, decided to make her grand entrance in the middle of our grandest fight with the Borg.

Miral Paris, also a Klingon saviour, is now three years old. Imogen Marie Paris is fast approaching 18 months, and little Ryan Edward, our youngest, is only six months old, but is already tearing into everything. Our three rascals, as much as we love them, are loved by everyone else on board. We are like a family, especially the senior staff, and nobody has a problem finding babysitters, but the way everyone is pairing off and reproducing, we may need to start day care and schooling programs.

I'm so lucky to have my family, something I never felt I had on Earth. B'E and I have a great relationship and so many caring friends, our closest being Harry, Chakotay, Kathryn, Annika, the Doctor and, surprisingly, Tuvok. Miral, Immy and Ryan even have close friends, who, ironically, happen to be 18 month olds Taya and Kimmy Janeway and 2 year old James Kim, the offspring of our own family.

Life on _Voyager_ has done many things to benefit me. I have learned respect; responsibility; the need to suffer the consequences of my actions. I may have been punished for crimes I have committed, but each punishment has taught me a lesson. Now, ten years after Kathryn pretty much rescued me from New Zealand, I have a wife, three beautiful children, and a family that grows every week. I'm living the life I never dreamed I would be given the chance to even witness, so don't think any less of me for what I'm about to say.

It wouldn't kill me if _Voyager_ never made it home.

I have everything I could ever wish for here in the Delta Quadrant. This ship has become our home, our lives. We have rebuilt just about every component of every major system to adapt it to our needs. The crew are happy, the children are growing, and everyone gets a chance to see good old Tom Paris have his ego wounded by the Captain in a game of pool every week or so.

So, I'm happy.

Dad, I miss you, and I hope you can forgive me for all the things I have done in the past. But that's just where they are – in the past. I have served my time for any actions that have put me into trouble, and face it, there have been a lot. But with every passing year on _Voyager_, I put more and more of those incriminating acts behind me, and so should you.

What's done is done, dad, there's not much you can do to change that. Just be grateful that I am happy. And think, when _Voyager_ does make it back to the Alpha Quadrant, she will most likely be commanded by someone's son or daughter, a direct descendant of the original crew.

When we return home, in the next decade or so hopefully, Kathryn Janeway will still be in the command chair, Chakotay by her side. I will be at the helm; B'E in Engineering; Harry at Ops; Tuvok at Tactical/Security; Annika at Astrometrics. We will all be returning home, stationed in the positions we have faithfully served at for many years, doing the jobs we love, that our children are born to do. Though we cannot guarantee what field of study they will pursue, everyone will make sure they have a Starfleet education from the time they enter school.

Farewell, Dad, and say hi to Mom, Moira, Kathleen and everyone else for me.

Yours truly, from the crowded nursery in the Paris quarters, Delta Quadrant,

Your son,

Thomas

* * *

Admiral Owen Paris wiped the tears from his eyes as he finished reading the letter his son had sent him from the Delta Quadrant.

He was amazed that Tom had grown that much in ten years; he had matured, married, was raising a family. He was a better man, a better father, than Owen ever was to him.

As he sat silently at his desk, thinking, reminiscing, remembering his son, Owen realised something.

His little boy had grown up.

No longer was he Tom Paris, the embarrassment of the family, but now he's Lieutenant Commander Thomas Eugene Paris, husband, father, officer, friend. He had made something of himself.

For that, Owen was truly grateful. His boy was happy. Sure, he had adjusted to the prospect of never seeing his biological family again, but why would that worry him if he was already surrounded by his family?

Standing up, the Admiral sighed. It was time to go home, to his own family. Maybe he should spend some time with them, just like Thomas did with his wife and children.

Oh well, he thought, as he exited his office. At least he's happy.


	5. Chapter 5

Letters Home

Voyager has been in the Delta Quadrant for just over ten years now. They have been in contact with Starfleet via Pathfinder for four years, thanks to Reg Barclay. These are the letters members of the senior staff wrote to their families.

Usual disclaimers apply; I just can't be bothered writing one at the moment.

* * *

Dear Dad,

That's sort of uncomfortable for me to say; Dad. I never thought I would actually know you in my adult years, but I couldn't write 'Dear John' because that would sound really weird, so Dad it is.

Last time I spoke to you was over three years ago, when I was pregnant. Before that, it was when I was 12 and we went on that camping trip with Uncle Carl and my cousins.

Well, a lot has happened since we last spoke. I wasn't really planning on writing you, but once Captain Janeway had told us she was writing a letter home, she suggested we all do the same: one letter to any member of our family, any length at all. I wanted to write Mom, but I had an experience over four years ago which suggested to me that she was dead.

Anyway, the last time we spoke, I was pregnant with Miral. She is as stubborn as her mother, and as cheeky as her father, with an impeccable sense of timing… not.

Just over three years ago, Kathryn, the Captain, had gotten herself into another fight with the Borg, fuelled on by her future self. The whole 'future self' thing is something we're forbidden to discuss under the Temporal Prime Directive, but to cut a long story short, Admiral Janeway convinced Captain Janeway to fly into a Borg-infested nebula and pick a fight with the Borg Queen.

Typical Kathryn couldn't resist a fight with the Queen and, after much deliberation, went to fight face-to-face with her. At that time; which _Voyager_ was in the middle of the fight, destroying one of the Borg's transwarp hubs, Captain Janeway was on the Bridge watching as the Admiral destroyed the Borg from the inside; I was in Sickbay.

Being Chief Engineer, my job was to be down in Engineering, fixing whatever system had decided to fail at that particular moment or pump the shields full with more power or something like that. But no, Miral decided to follow the lead of her parents – cheeky and stubborn.

While the Borg were self-destructing around us, I was in labour.

After a very painful, but thankfully not very long, labour, I was sitting in Sickbay, my new daughter in my arms and my husband by my side, after he left his station on the Bridge, which happened to be after Miral was born.

You'll probably notice we named her after her maternal grandmother, and that's because she's the one person I didn't make peace with, the one person that won't meet my baby girl.

Well, we were still stuck in the Delta Quadrant, but our arch enemy, the Borg, had been destroyed. However, we were, and still are, faced with a long journey home. It has now been narrowed down to ten to fifteen years, at the most.

Tom and I were settling in well with Miral. Kathryn tried to make us take parental leave for almost a month, but after a few days I was bored and ended up back on duty.

Now, three years later, Tom and I are still as happy as we were when Miral was born. We have three beautiful children; three year old Miral, 18 month old Imogen Marie and our youngest, six month old Ryan Edward Paris.

Every now and then, Kathryn, my best friend among other things, mentions what she wrote in her letter. She told her mother that she could see Tom and I, many years from now, surrounded by our numerous grown children children, of which one will be named after his father and one incorporating my maiden name – Torres, and grandchildren, if not great grandchildren!

But, I can believe that. I have always wanted a large family – growing up as an only child was hard on me, and I don't want to wish that on my children. It was hard enough for me to come to terms with my Klingon heritage on my own, but now that Tom has helped me, we can together, when the kids are older, help them see the benefits of being one quarter Klingon.

Dad, I know I have never really fit in anywhere, that's why I joined the Maquis, but I have finally found my true home – _Voyager_. Don't get mad when I say this, by Tom and I feel the same.

It wouldn't kill us if we never reached home.

I have never in my life felt as at home like I do here, where I have my own family and my extended family together. The crew have grown so close that Kathryn and Chakotay, who finally admitted their feelings for each other and married, are the parents of everyone, not only their twin daughters, Taya Elizabeth and Kimberley Hope; our 'family' grows bigger every year, as most people have accepted our fate and adopted our tone; and have therefore begun to pair off and create families of their own.

In a year at most we will probably need a day care and schooling program to care for the amount of children we have produced while everyone is on duty or needs down time.

But, who am I to complain, I have two beautiful daughters and a gorgeous son, and in about five years I will probably have another three kids on top of Miral, Immy and Ryan!

I hope you can forgive me for the way I have acted towards you in the past, but when we do reach the Alpha Quadrant, I would like my kids to know their Mommy's Daddy, if that makes sense.

If you wouldn't mind, I would like you to try to contact Admiral Owen Paris at Starfleet Command, he's Tom's father, so you can get to know some of my family while you wait for us, but I would understand it if you didn't.

Dad, I will see you when we come in closer range to Earth and home, but please remember what I asked you.

From in the middle of the crowded Paris nursery, ­_USS Voyager_, Delta Quadrant,

Your daughter,

B'Elanna

* * *

John Torres placed the padd with his daughters' letter on the coffee table, pausing to reflect on her words.

She was normally hot-headed, but motherhood had obviously changed that, and her quick temper wasn't as predominant, though she was still stubborn.

John sighed. Even though he really didn't know her, he still missed his half-Klingon daughter. Looking around his living room, he saw the pictures of the rest of his family lighting up the atmosphere. His new family.

John had remarried not long after the Cardassians began to terrorise the Alpha Quadrant, and his new wife Scarlet had given him two new children since then.

He wondered how B'Elanna would react to his family – her step-family. 12 year old Alyssa Noelle had her heart set on entering Starfleet, while her 8 year old brother Jacob Brian was more of the artistic type.

The quietness of the house surprised him, though a quick glance at the nearest chronometer told him that Scarlet, Alyssa and Jacob would be home soon. He had to put the letter with the others before they found it; only Scarlet knew that he had been previously married, but she didn't know about his oldest daughter.

He really did miss her, but at least she's happy with her own family, he thought, as his own walked through the door.

Scarlet noticed the look on his face as she greeted him. "Honey, what's wrong?"

John sighed, knowing it was time to come clean to them. "Scarlet, you know about Miral, right…"

It was going to be a very long night.


	6. Chapter 6

Letters Home

Voyager has been in the Delta Quadrant for just over ten years now. They have been in contact with Starfleet via Pathfinder for four years, thanks to Reg Barclay. These are the letters members of the senior staff wrote to their families.

Usual disclaimers apply; I just can't be bothered writing one at the moment.

* * *

Dear Mom,

As Kathryn Janeway has said every different time we expected to come home, you may need to move the sofa.

Well, I know this is the first time we have spoken in three years, ever since the Pathfinder Project established contact with us, but a lot has happened since then.

You spoke to me when I was still an ensign. Yes, I know that means I have been promoted, and it's true. This is Lieutenant Harry Kim talking.

Almost the whole senior staff were promoted about two years ago, not long after the Captain and Commander were married, finally, and the majority of the crew were promoted too. I'm proud to say I was fourth on the list, after Tuvok, Tom and B'Elanna. Annika was on the list too.

Oh that's right; you don't know who Annika is. How sill of me to forget. Not!

Over six years ago, we had gotten into yet another fight with the Borg, but this time we had made a temporary alliance with them. We barely exited that alliance alive, but at least we had Seven.

The Borg we had 'stolen' was Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One. We called her Seven and helped her to regain her humanity.

Ever since the majority of her cybernetic implants were removed and I got to know her, I have loved her.

Yes, I know you are thinking 'But what about Libby? She's such a nice girl…' but how long has it been now, ten years, four months, give or take? If Libby hasn't moved on, she has some serious issues, because I have moved on.

Not long after we had destroyed the Borg, about three and a half years ago, Seven of Nine retook her human name, Annika Hansen, with the rank of Ensign. Six months later, I proposed to her.

As you can probably expect, she said yes. And she was fifth on the list for promotion.

I used to miss you so much; just after our journey began, I was the most optimistic person, other than the captain, who knew we would eventually come home. Now, I really don't care. Voyager has become my home and the crew my family.

I'm married very happily, have a beautiful son, James Harry Kim, who is already two years old and loved by everyone.

Mom, I know you probably find it hard to believe that maybe you'll never see your little Harry again while he's alive or young, but it's something that you have no control over. Yes, we'll still try and take every possible shortcut we can find to get home earlier, but not for our sakes anymore, we'll come home so our children can see Earth at least once before they die.

Just think, maybe one day when we reach home, I'll be standing there in front of you and Dad, Annika by my side, considerably older, with our children, and possibly grandchildren, surrounding us. It's a future I can see happening.

And I wouldn't be surprised if there becomes a 'Voyager family'… literally. If that future does happen, there will be so many generations of children born from the same group of people we will all literally become brothers and sisters.

At least then I'll have all the siblings I wanted as a child with me in my adult life.

I know you've missed out on most of my adulthood, with the Academy and Voyager and everything, but I could have never wished for anything else. This past decade we have spent together have been the best years of my life, and accepting this position is one action I will never regret. The whole crew have so many stories about each other that we will be able to embarrass our grandchildren one day.

Mom, whatever the outcome of our journey, just remember that I love you. You're the one woman who raised me, guided me, supported me through my musical childhood and Starfleet orientated adolescence. That is one thing I will never forget about you, your kindness and patience. Thank you, Mom, for everything you have ever done for me, whether directly or indirectly, in my life.

Loving you from wherever we are,

Your son,

Harry

* * *

Grace Kim wiped her eyes, put down the padd with Harry's letter, and let out a deep breath.

She knew her son had been happy, but to have his own family, she could hardly believe it. As much as she wanted to see him again, Grace knew her son knew what was best for him and his young family.

Sighing, she pulled herself off the sofa she had been told to move countless times.

"I just hope I'll meet your family before I die," she whispered, directing her gaze to the stars outside. "I love you too, Harry."


	7. Chapter 7

Letters Home

Voyager has been in the Delta Quadrant for just over ten years now. They have been in contact with Starfleet via Pathfinder for four years, thanks to Reg Barclay. These are the letters members of the senior staff wrote to their families.

Usual disclaimers apply; I just can't be bothered writing one at the moment.

* * *

Dear Aunt Irene

I do not know what I wish to say, what I can say. All I know is when Captain Janeway informed me that this composition for this datastream is compulsory, no matter how much I wish to 'get out of it', as Tom Paris would say.

I have never been comfortable with confessing my emotions, though the removal of my failsafe device many years ago has improved my ability to experience these emotions. I have not yet come to terms completely with these emotions, but since my marriage and the birth of our son, dealing with my emotions has become considerably easier.

As you may or may not know, three and a half years ago, I chose to retake my human name, Annika Hansen.

Now, my full name and title, as I have been told not to use the term 'designation', is Lieutenant Annika Hansen-Kim, though I do not use my hyphenated name often.

My husband, Lieutenant Harry Kim, has become the love of my life. With his help, I have learned to love, to act on my emotions, to suppress them if need be, he has helped me to understand life on a greater scale.

I no longer think of life as a day to day situation, but on a long term scale as well. Our two year old son James Harry Kim, an inverse version of Harry's name, is the primary focus of my life. His future is important to me, as is the future of our children to come.

Aunt Irene, though I know it will be many years until Voyager reaches the Alpha Quadrant, travels towards the Sol system and Earth, I sincerely hope you will be in San Francisco to greet us, and meet my family, as large as it is and may become.

I await your return letter in anticipation,

Yours truly,

Annika

* * *

Irene Hansen finished reading the correspondence from her niece wiping the tears from her eyes. She knew expression of emotion would be hard for a woman who had grown up in a society devoid of it; a society devoid of individualism and every element of society free humanoids took for granted.

"I await your return in anticipation," she whispered as the letter disappeared off her screen.


	8. Chapter 8

Letters Home

Voyager has been in the Delta Quadrant for just over ten years now. They have been in contact with Starfleet via Pathfinder for four years, thanks to Reg Barclay. These are the letters members of the senior staff wrote to their families.

Usual disclaimers apply; I just can't be bothered writing one at the moment.

* * *

Doctor Zimmerman

I know we don't get along very well, but you are a stubborn old man, and I am an equally stubborn hologram modelled on your appearance and personality.

I have been almost ordered to write this letter. I could have written someone else, but I thought because of out previous meeting, you would be the better alternative. So you will have to put up with it.

How is Haley going, and your other holoprograms? Or do you really not care about your only surviving EMH-1?

Lewis, I would love to be on better terms with you, but for anyone to have a civilised conversation with you, you need to change your attitude. How would you like it if someone spoke to you the way you speak to everyone else?

You are very lucky that people like Reg Barclay and Counsellor Troi still speak to you after the way you take out your moods on people who are only trying to help you.

I have never been a bitter man, but after meeting you, I can't say that you have made me a better person. Meeting my creator, who is essentially my father, should have been the best experience of my activated life.

Instead, I was ashamed of your attitude and ashamed to call you my father.

I hope this has opened your eyes a bit before you lose someone so close and dear to you that they never come back.

Please take my words into consideration next time you ignore an act of kindness and a good deed is ignored on your part.

Kind regards,

The last remaining EMH-1

Doctor, CMO of

* * *

Lewis Zimmerman read the spite-filled letter from his pet project, the EMH-1, with a shocked look on his face.

"What're you reading, Lewis?" Haley asked, walking in from the other room.

"A letter from the EMH-1 on Voyager; he's told me, and I quote, that _you take your moods out on people who are only trying to help you_, end quote."

Haley looked at him.

He stared back. "What?"

"He's right, you know."

"About what?"

"Your attitude; it needs to change. You are so stubborn that one day someone will leave you out to dry and no one will be here to clean you up."

Lewis sat in thought as Haley walked away, reflecting on his letter.

_Maybe the EMH is actually right about something…_


End file.
